Things to see & do
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The Abbey
The Abbey
Buckland was established as a monastery in 1278 and Cistercian monks prospered here for 250 years. When Henry VIII threw them out, Sir Richard Grenville moved in and converted the Abbey into a house. Later Sir Francis Drake and his family lived here making more and more modifications to the former Abbey.
© TVBucklandAbbey
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The gardens
The gardens
Our gardens were described in 1754 as ‘running wild’ but nowadays they’re a bit tamer. You'll find magnificent flowering shrubs and trees, an Elizabethan garden and a working kitchen garden that’s planted as we think it would have been during the monks’ time.
© NTBucklandAbbey
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The countryside
The countryside
With over 400 acres and four different colour-coded walks you can explore our farmland, meadows and woodlands. Enjoy views of the Abbey, Tavy river valley, Dartmoor and Cornwall to help you uncover fascinating stories of Buckland Abbey’s past.
© Andrew Wrayford
The Abbey
The gardens
The countrysideWhat's on
Whether you're visiting on your own or with your family, we have a full range of events and activities for all ages. Find out what's happening with dates, timings, prices and booking details on our events page.
For groups
We have lots of great things for your group to see and do and we'd love to see you here. To help you plan your visit before you arrive, download a copy of our groups brochure below.
Don't miss
- The view of the Abbey from the green walk
- The harmonium in the chapel
- Trying on a Tudor costume
- The letterbox trail
- The sheer size of the Great Barn
- Our Spinning Spots and family activity packs